Hyderabad/New Delhi: Big changes are happening to make travel and immigration easier in India. The central government now allows visas to be issued in just one day if all the necessary documents are provided. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar led a meeting at North Block with senior officials to discuss simplifying the visa process and better tracking illegal immigrants.
Officials shared updates on visa improvements. They have cut down visa types from 26 to 22, and streamlined sub-categories from 104 to 69. Now, 65.15% of visas are issued as e-Visas, making the process faster.
To boost immigration control, two new online platforms, the District Police Module (DPM) and Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP), have been introduced. These will help track overstayers and illegal immigrants more effectively at the district level.
The modernization of Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) was also discussed. Since 2014, the number of ICPs has increased from 82 to 114, with various posts at air, road, sea, and rail points. New tech like automated document scanning and biometric facilities speeds up processing.
The Fast-Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) is now active in eight major airports, allowing approved travelers to clear immigration in under a minute. This program will soon expand to airports in Kozhikode, Lucknow, and Amritsar.
The updated Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) portal has issued nearly 50 lakh OCI cards. A special mobile app for CAA-2019 applicants from minority groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh is also launched. Bandi Sanjay praised the officials and emphasized that these reforms and services should be clearly communicated to the public for better access and transparency.
